Court briefs for December 1, 2000

Friday, Dec. 1, 2000 | 10:13 a.m.

Defendant fires his attorney

The trial of three men accused of committing a series of home invasions was postponed indefinitely after one of them insisted on firing his court-appointed attorney Thursday.

Tyrone Walker demanded he be allowed to represent himself at trial and be accompanied by a Nevada Department of Prisons inmate as his co-counsel. Walker said his attorney, Jennifer Bolton, has refused to file several motions he has drawn up.

District Judge John McGroarty granted Walker's motion to represent himself, but kept Bolton on the case as standby counsel.

Hearing delayed for new attorney

The arraignment of a Henderson man accused of killing a 16-year-old girl two years ago was delayed Thursday after his attorney withdrew from the case.

Defense attorney Bill Terry said Stephen Finnegan, 30, no longer has the funds to retain him and will have to obtain representation from the public defender's office.

Finnegan's arraignment was rescheduled for Wednesday.

Finnegan faces charges of murder, sexual assault and kidnapping in the March 1998 death of Jessica Heany.

January trial set in slaying

A January trial date has been set for a 20-year-old Las Vegas man accused of shooting his 22-year-old girlfriend to death.

District Judge Jeffrey Sobel set Trent Dirden's Jan. 22 trial date after Dirden pleaded not guilty to shooting Brandan Humphrey in the face with a .357-caliber Magnum revolver on Oct. 7.